An ethos of We Are Hughes is to elect a member who is informed and inclusive. Engaging with our electorate and creating the space for experts to communicate with us is what we anticipate from our endorsed candidate.

This panel is an example of bringing in experts to share with us so we can actively participate in democratic outcomes in a more informed way.

Our Panel of experts will share their unique and individual journeys in a Covid 19 world. We will have a Q and A session at the end to give you a chace to ask your questions. 

Prof Kerryn Phelps: 

Prof. Kerryn Phelps AM is a doctor, health communicator and public health and human rights advocate.  30 years ago she was a pioneer in health media across multiple media platforms.

Prof Phelps started working as a medical reporter on morning television soon after graduation, recognising early in her career that improved community health could be achieved by increasing health literacy, improving the ability of people to act on trusted sources of information in order to live healthier lives.

She has been the health columnist for the Australian Women’s Weekly for 25 years and has authored six health books including a textbook of general practice. These publications build on mainstream medicine while challenging the health professions and patients to think more expansively about solutions to health problems, a concept known as integrative medicine, literally “integrating” multiple healthcare philosophies.

As first female President of the Australian Medical Association, she was able to influence health policy at State and Federal level.  As AMA President, she forged a solution to the looming medical indemnity crisis, enabled changes to medical workforce policy, encouraged the development of the first AMA indigenous health report card and initiated the organisation’s first health policies on complementary medicine, and on sexuality and gender diversity.

Prof Phelps and her wife Jackie Stricker-Phelps began the Australian conversation on marriage equality back in 1998 and this was finally achieved in 2017.

Prof Phelps was elected to City of Sydney Council in 2016 and was Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney from 2016-2017,  bringing the principles of inclusiveness, social justice and community wellbeing to the role of city governance.

In 2018 after the resignation of Malcolm Turnbull, Prof Phelps won the by-election in the Federal seat of  Wentworth and entered the House of Representatives where she argued for children and their families to be released from Nauru,  spearheaded the landmark Medevac Law to rescue critically ill refugees from Manus Island and Nauru, advocated for action on climate change and for a review of the ban on private health insurance rebates for complementary therapies. Prof Phelps narrowly lost the seat in the Federal election in May 2019.

Dr Kim Loo

Dr Kim Loo is a GP and Chair of NSW Doctors for the environment and is on the council of the Australian Medical Association. 

Dr Kim Loo has had extensive experience in General Practice, providing long term continuity of care for her patients. She has completed a Diploma of Paediatrics from UNSW, and is a Fellow of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Dr Loo became an environmental advocate in 2015 because as a doctor  she was concerned about the future for her children and the health consequences of climate change.

Dr Jennifer Tobin 

Dr Tobin is an emergency doctor.

One year ago Hughes resident Dr Jennifer Tobin  spoke with us about life as an emergency doctor during the the initial response to Covid-19. Her story was compelling and is still referred to by those that heard her talk. One year on, Jennifer will share her extended journey and what it is like with new variants and the promise of vaccines. 

Jennifer will also share her firsthand experience dealing with the trauma associated with rejection of life saving vaccinations, not only for Covid-19 but for other preventable outbreaks.